The Cambridge Jazz Festival (CJF) returns for its 12th edition this November, bringing some of the biggest names in contemporary jazz together with the UK’s finest musicians, emerging artists and an expanded community of local talent.

Taking place 12-23 November 2026, the festival, which is supported by Arts Council England, will present more than 40 events across two weeks, turning venues throughout Cambridge and the surrounding area into stages for international stars, acclaimed British musicians, adventurous new voices and the city’s own thriving jazz community.

From world-class concert halls to intimate clubs, college venues and grassroots spaces, CJF 2026 promises a festival that is ambitious in scale but rooted firmly in Cambridge.

Tickets and the full programme available at

International stars and British jazz at the top of their game

Leading this year’s programme is a remarkable line-up of internationally acclaimed artists.

Lizz Wright, one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary jazz, brings her rich, soulful sound to Cambridge. Known for music that moves effortlessly between jazz, blues, gospel and folk, the American singer has built an international following with her extraordinary voice and deeply expressive performances.

Delfeayo Marsalis and Eric Alexander bring two formidable strands of American jazz together. Trombonist, composer and producer Delfeayo Marsalis, a member of New Orleans’ celebrated Marsalis musical dynasty, joins saxophonist Eric Alexander, one of the most respected tenor players of his generation, for a meeting of heavyweight jazz talent.

British saxophone giant Andy Sheppard returns to the festival, bringing a career spanning decades and collaborations with artists including George Russell, Carla Bley and Gil Evans. His lyrical, exploratory playing has made him one of the defining voices of British jazz.

At the forefront of the new generation is Emma Rawicz, the award-winning saxophonist and composer whose energetic, genre-crossing music has rapidly established her as one of the most exciting young figures in British jazz. Her performances combine virtuosity, rhythmic drive and a restless appetite for new ideas.

Jean Toussaint, the acclaimed saxophonist and former Art Blakey Jazz Messenger, brings the experience of one of jazz’s great traditions to Cambridge, while continuing to push the music forward through his own powerful compositions and collaborations.

This year’s Artist in Residence is Josephine Davies, the acclaimed saxophonist, composer and educator whose work combines lyrical improvisation with a deeply individual approach to contemporary jazz.

Davies will appear throughout the festival, including a major collaboration with the Cambridge University Jazz Orchestra (CUJO). Her residency will provide a creative thread running through the programme, connecting performance, improvisation and education while placing one of the UK’s leading contemporary jazz voices at the centre of the festival.

The residency continues CJF’s commitment to giving audiences the chance to encounter major artists not simply in concert, but through a wider programme of collaboration and creative exchange.

From big bands to brass, the festival gets the city moving

The festival’s programme ranges from cutting-edge contemporary jazz to big-band swing, groove, improvisation and high-energy brass.

Corto.alto, the project led by Scottish producer and multi-instrumentalist Liam Shortall, brings a boundary-pushing blend of jazz, electronics, hip-hop and club culture. The project has become one of the most talked-about new forces in UK jazz, with music that refuses to sit neatly inside one genre.

Shirley Smart, one of the UK’s most distinctive cellists and composers, returns with her richly textured approach to jazz, drawing on influences from the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and beyond.

Cambridge favourites Brass Funkeys bring their infectious combination of brass, funk, hip-hop and party energy, while Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band promises a full-scale celebration of contemporary big-band music.

And there is much more to discover, including 2026 Mercury Prize nominees, Knats, alongside a host of established names, emerging artists and collaborations still to come.

A new Grassroots programme puts Cambridge centre stage

New for 2026, the festival launches its Grassroots programme, extending beyond the main festival venues to create a genuinely city-wide and county-wide celebration of local jazz.

Running across the festival dates and beyond, Grassroots will bring together local artists, venues and promoters, creating an extensive programme designed to support the musicians and organisations already building Cambridge’s jazz culture from the ground up.

The initiative reflects one of CJF’s central ambitions: to create a festival where international stars can share the same musical landscape as the artists, venues and audiences that make Cambridge such a vibrant place for live music.

From established musicians to new performers finding their audience for the first time, Grassroots will offer more opportunities to hear, play, discover and celebrate jazz across the city and county.

A festival woven into Cambridge

For two weeks in November, CJF will bring together concert halls, intimate venues, colleges, community spaces and grassroots stages in a celebration that crosses generations, geography and musical boundaries.

The result is a festival that looks outward to the international jazz scene while remaining deeply connected to its home city, giving Cambridge audiences the chance to see major international artists alongside the musicians and promoters shaping the local scene.

Whether discovering jazz for the first time or following it for decades, audiences can expect a programme full of bold performances, unexpected collaborations and musicians at the top of their game.

“The Cambridge Jazz Festival has always been about bringing people together through great music,” says John Blandford, CJF co-director. “In 2026, we are taking that idea further, bringing exceptional international artists to Cambridge while putting the extraordinary talent, venues and promoters on our own doorstep firmly in the spotlight. The result is a festival that belongs to the whole city and county.”